Apparatus for radiating light from a virtual source

Abstract

A lighting assembly that includes an LED source that generates a light cone (solid angle); and a transparent near field lens having a front surface, a collimating surface, and an aspherical groove. The collimating surface collimates the light cone into a beam that reflects off of the front surface toward the aspherical groove, and the aspherical groove directs the beam away from the lens as an exit cone from a virtual focal point, positive virtual focal ring or a negative virtual focal ring. The exit cone may be evenly distributed, substantially forward or substantially rearward from the virtual focal point or virtual focal ring. Parabolic or aparabolic reflectors can be employed with lighting assemblies having a virtual focal point or virtual focal ring, respectively, to reflect the exit cone in a vehicular exterior lighting pattern.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A lighting assembly, comprising:
 an LED source that generates a light cone; and 
 a transparent near field lens having a front surface, an aspherical groove, and a collimating surface that collimates the cone into a beam that reflects off the front surface toward the groove, the groove shaped to spread the beam as an exit cone distributed from a virtual focal point in a substantially vehicle rearward collective direction relative to the focal point. 
 
     
     
       2. The lighting assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the near field lens is configured in proximity to the LED source such that the collimating surface collimates a substantial portion of the light cone into the beam that reflects off of the front surface toward the aspherical groove. 
     
     
       3. The lighting assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the aspherical groove possesses a continuously varying radius of curvature. 
     
     
       4. The lighting assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the collimating surface is a plurality of collimating surfaces. 
     
     
       5. The lighting assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the near field lens is configured in proximity to the LED source such that the collimating surfaces collimate a substantial portion of the light cone into the beam that reflects off of the front surface toward the aspherical groove. 
     
     
       6. A lighting assembly, comprising:
 an LED source; 
 a transparent near field lens having a front surface, a collimating surface, and an aspherical groove shaped to direct a light cone from the source and collimating surface as an exit cone distributed from a virtual focal point in a substantially vehicle rearward collective direction relative to the focal point; and 
 a parabolic reflector for reflecting the exit cone into a vehicular light pattern. 
 
     
     
       7. The lighting assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the near field lens is configured in proximity to the LED source such that the collimating surface collimates a substantial portion of the light cone into a beam that reflects off of the front surface toward the aspherical groove. 
     
     
       8. The lighting assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the aspherical groove possesses a continuously varying radius of curvature. 
     
     
       9. The lighting assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the collimating surface is a plurality of collimating surfaces. 
     
     
       10. The lighting assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein the near field lens is configured in proximity to the LED source such that the collimating surfaces collimate a substantial portion of the light cone into a beam that reflects off of the front surface toward the aspherical groove.